I never said it at the time but this video was my nudge into encaustic. 2017 I was nursing my dad who passed wirh rare brain cancer. He was a Greek Orthodox... we watched it together and he said...go for it girl you too can make beautiful icons. Bless him. Love n hugs.
Thank you for being clear and most for using a Tripod or platform for the camera. Many do hand held cameras and the jumpy, jerky view induces vertigo, big time. Clean, clear and nice to watch. It is helpful.
So many of these tutorials are almost tortuous to watch - the bombastic, or monotone, or excessively chipper, or too fast or confusing manner of the instructors make it REALLY HARD to WATCH to ABSORB and to feel INCLUDED in the process. You are a delightful, calm, funny, humane, easy to understand and sensible in your linear teaching method. I'm not saying this correctly, which is frustrating, but I guess it's just a big THANK YOU at the end of the day: you have an atists' mind and love of the products, the process and the progression. I have been fascinated by encaustic for YEARS and yours is the FIRST tutorial video that gave me even the tiniest thread of thought that I could, with enough time, commitment, determination, consistency and a sense of humor, learn how to make an encaustic piece of art of my own. So THANK YOU VERY VERY VERY MUCH. I have so many ideas of things I want to learn and try.
Wow, thank you so much. I can't tell you how much it means to read what you wrote here. I was a former school teacher but had a sporting accident and had to leave education, or so I thought. Anyway, your comments are extremely meaningful.
Thank you so much! I appreciate you taking the time to do the play by play - even explaining some of the risks and mistakes you have made! I am just getting started with encaustics and have learned a lot from watching you!
I learned soooo much on RU-vid by watching others. Have a blast. I started a few months ago and now I don't want to do anything else. Thank you for taking the time to comment.
WOW I LOVE THIS!!! thank you for filming this ! you have inspired me to use my old religious art prints that have been in my closet for years!!! thanks again!!
ok, I know the concept of gesso, and specifically the encaustic gesso being heat resistant, but is there another reason you chose to use it and could you use just white encaustic paint? Thank you for sharing these videos...I'm learning so much!!
Please So you do not fuse the oil pastels after and incising? When they remain fairly wet for a long period of time? Or what if you want to add more wax on top? What you said might happen has been happening to me and then I have to scrape back the oil paint . Thank you.
Thanks so much for watching and asking. I do not fuse the oils after incising. I fuse any Panpastel that I use on wax. I have not yet attempted adding more wax on top of oils. 😬
I think now, after weeks of combing RU-vid, I've watched every encaustic video out there! I enjoy your helpful videos but am confused - at 1:39 you said the paper needs to be porous, which I understand from watching other encaustic artists as well, but then at 4:10 you said you were using photo paper, which I assume is NOT porous... How does the photo stick or is it just encapsulated?
Great question! Unfortunately I had to learn the hard way that porous and non porous papers will work (non-porous is more of a challenge) but you should really use Yes paste to adhere whatever paper you use. Photos too. Otherwise the piece may separate in layers over time.
Thanks so much for your kind words. Using the gesso first gives an overall white background to your first layers of encaustic and it tends to create a better surface for the type of wood I use.
Hi :) I have just started watching your videos... Thank you so much for taking the time to make these tutorials... In just a few tutorials you have become an inspiration to me in your creativity and your willingness to share the story of your grief. Did I hear correct that you are in Florida? Where in Florida are you? I live in Tampa Bay area and have been thinking of trying encaustic art for several months now but I'm a little concerned about how well this medium will stand up to the heat and humidity. Have you had any trouble with this.
R Friend Thanks so much for watching. That really means a great deal. Yeah, I lived in Florida for almost ten years, but we recently relocated to Arizona.
R Friend I am so happy to hear you've been inspired. That is the deep desire in my heart. I didn't have any problems with encaustic and the FL heat and humidity. You just need a well-ventilated area and keep the encaustic about 150-160 degrees. If it ever starts smoking from high heat, those fumes are not good for you at all.
Thank you SO much! I sell it on ETSY although my shop is on vacation for another week or two until we get settled after a cross-country move. www.etsy.com/shop/ForThoseWhoWeep
The work is stunning. I have photo pieces I created from Photoshop but would like to use with the encaustic art form. Do you have a supply list of what a newbie would use incl heating elements for melting and then fusing? TY. Rachel
kitty m Thanks so much for watching a writing. I watched a view You Tube videos when I was first starting so I could figure out what I needed vs. what I wanted. I started with a small Presto pancake griddle, a pound of encaustic medium, three encaustic brushes, encaustic gesso, a heat gun, and a few little muffin pans. I bought a few pieces of pre-cut wood pieces at Michael's, too...just like the wood I used for this piece. Later on I added in a few R and F pigment sticks and an incising tool.
P.A. Bragg Thanks ! It was stunning to see how you kept applying images, the wax layers and then all of a sudden there's such stunning subtlety but makes a great statement. Hope to see other video from you. TY again, Rachel
kitty m Encaustic is so unique. I am glad you are going to venture out into it. Let me know how it goes. I just moved across the country and am getting my new studio up and running, but hope to get another video out soon.
Hi there, thanks so much for sharing. 🤗 just wondering if you know what the difference is between pigment sticks and oil paint? 🤔I'm just starting out and trying to save money, especially since I'm not sure if I'm going to like encaustics. I love the finish, but I'm finding it's pretty messy. 😱
Bruceann Yellowega Thank you for writing. I haven't tried to use regular oil paints, but here is a link that should answer your question. www.rfpaints.com/resources/pigment-stick. I just started using encaustic last year and at first the mess and struggle was discouraging. But I watched a bunch of Nancy Crawford's RU-vid tutorials and they were super helpful.
It tends to get some heat as the first layers of encaustic are applied, but because it is gesso made for encaustics, there is no problem with the heat.
